- We read a lot about toxic masculinity these days, but this new, exciting and cold shower of a novel by Melbourne based author Michael Winkler focuses on a tradition of masculinity that is age old and can only be called raw, brutal and essentially inhumane.
- The whole book is an essay on pain. We are listeners to the young, unnamed narrator's Uncle Michael tell tales of Italo-American prize fighter Joe Grim. Grim spent a few years in Australia in the very early 1900's and his talent was to never be knocked out no matter the extreme beatings he faced from seasoned opponents in the ring. Often the referee's count would get to nine but up Joe would always spring. The sports columnists at the time, enthralled by this, as were the crowds, described the physical contests in graphic detail. They are ugly and almost unbearable to read.
- But there is a lot more to this vividly written tale than boxing stories and vignettes. There are colourful characters who inhabit and fight in bars, and many authorial reflections on what possible meaning extreme pain could have. And Winkler fesses up about the real and constant pain of writing.
- Narrative voices are meshed which can be confusing, but the prose style is never not vibrant. It's such a pleasure to read, a real thump in the gut that makes you breathless. (Boxing, right?). The author labels his book ‘exploded non-fiction'. There's a core historical narrative but there's much more going on.
- For instance the most delicious and delightful character in this book is a talking goat! Yes, a goat. And he swears constantly. It's all fucken this and fucken that. But his weary commentary on his human companions is spot on.
- And then there’s Pig Thug, ‘a blubbery naked grotesque'! And vicious too.
- The young narrator asks his uncle at one point - why no indigenous voices in your stories? There are serious reflections on that. And women? Well finally Joe meets the young, intelligent and beautiful Dora, and Dora writes a letter to her sister describing the interaction. It's brilliant.
- One critically important feature in the novel are the quotes from noted authors, academics and philosophers in the many footnotes dotted throughout the text. I particularly enjoyed philosopher and literary critic Terry Eagleton's meditations on pain and various other things. I've been a fan of Eagleton's for decades but, although always rich in insight, he can often be abstruse.
- For instance the most delicious and delightful character in this book is a talking goat! Yes, a goat. And he swears constantly. It's all fucken this and fucken that. But his weary commentary on his human companions is spot on.
- And then there’s Pig Thug, ‘a blubbery naked grotesque'! And vicious too.
- The young narrator asks his uncle at one point - why no indigenous voices in your stories? There are serious reflections on that. And women? Well finally Joe meets the young, intelligent and beautiful Dora, and Dora writes a letter to her sister describing the interaction. It's brilliant.
- One critically important feature in the novel are the quotes from noted authors, academics and philosophers in the many footnotes dotted throughout the text. I particularly enjoyed philosopher and literary critic Terry Eagleton's meditations on pain and various other things. I've been a fan of Eagleton's for decades but, although always rich in insight, he can often be abstruse.
- I guess that sums up this powerful and meaningful novel.
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